8 Best Leadership Conferences in 2025

Leadership requires constant growth and evolution. A leadership conference, with its networking, speakers, and breakout sessions, offers one of the best ways to learn, meet peers, and return to work motivated to enact change.

Here's a list of some of the top leadership conferences occurring in the next year.

Workhuman® LiveOpens in a new tab is more than just a conference; it’s an experience designed to transform workplace cultures and empower people-focused leaders. This vibrant event brings together top HR professionals, industry leaders, and world-renowned speakers for four days of inspiration, learning, and connection.

Date: May 5-8, 2025

Location: Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Aurora, CO

Pricing: Early-bird pricing of $1595 available until January 12, 2025

Why attend:

This year's speaker lineup includes keynotes from Adam Grant and Erin Meyer, but no matter who is speaking, you’re guaranteed to leave with fresh perspectives on leadership, resilience, and creating a thriving workplace culture. Workhuman Live focuses on practical, science-backed approaches that can immediately impact how you lead.

Dive into interactive sessions covering various topics and best practices, from diversity and inclusion to employee wellbeing, recognition strategies, and human-centered technology. These hands-on workshops equip you with actionable insights and tools to bring back to your organization and implement right away.

Connect with professionals and peers who share a passion for redefining workplace dynamics. From collaborative breakouts to informal meet-and-greet sessions, Workhuman Live offers a community-driven environment where you can make lasting professional connections and gain new insights from other HR leaders.

Date: November 13-16, 2025

Location: Palm Springs, CA

Pricing: TBD

Why attend:

The Ernst and Young Strategic Growth Forum is a great event for executives and entrepreneurs aiming to scale their businesses and drive growth. This annual gathering attracts influential CEOs, high-growth entrepreneurs, and C-suite executives across various industries, offering a platform to exchange ideas, network, and explore potential collaborations.

The conference culminates in the Entrepreneur Of The Year US National Awards celebration, honoring the nation’s top entrepreneurs and providing a platform to hear inspiring success stories from industry game-changers. This event is not just about networking—it's about immersing oneself in the entrepreneurial spirit and experiences that provide a glimpse into the future of business.

Date: October 27 – 29, 2025

Location: Orlando, FL

Pricing: TBD

Why attend:

The global team of Gartner experts helps you create and validate your HR strategy using insights based on proprietary research and tools.

With a focus on leader and manager effectiveness, attendees of the Gartner HR Symposium/XpoOpens in a new tab can identify and develop leadership skills across the business to build a human-centric workplace culture. They will also learn to leverage HR trends and technologies to unlock new levels of innovation and productivity for their organization, better integrate DEI initiatives across the business, hold leadership accountable for outcomes, and drive organizational growth.

Date: Sept. 28 - Oct. 1, 2025

Location: San Diego and virtual

Pricing: Virtual pricing starts at $395, in-person pricing starts at $3,695

Why attend:

The SHRM Women in Leadership Institute™ (WIL)Opens in a new tab centers around challenges women leaders commonly face in their roles and how to best navigate them. This leadership summit development opportunity accelerates the advancement of women leaders across all levels, industries, and roles. It also provides networking opportunities and scalable impact for organizations embracing gender equity.

Date: March 7-15, 2025

Location: Austin, TX

Pricing: Starting at $730

Why attend:

Known for its creative convergence, SXSW offers a blend of media, tech, and business, which is ideal for business owners and those pursuing entrepreneurship. The SXSW Workplace trackOpens in a new tab is tailored for forward-thinking companies and HR leaders and focuses on transforming modern work culture.

Date: April 8-10, 2025

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Pricing: Starting at $1895

Why attend:

The Great Place to Work for All Opens in a new tabSummit Opens in a new tabfocuses on building trust in the workplace, diversity, and employee wellbeing, offering value for leaders committed to fostering positive, high-trust cultures. Attendees will learn actionable strategies for building a thriving, inclusive workplace that empowers employees, hear from top HR and business leaders who share approaches to developing people-focused workplaces that fuel growth and resilience, and connect with forward-thinking leaders and professionals focused on improving workplaces.

Dates: May 29-30, 2025

Location: New York, New York

Price: $1,499

Why attend:

This global leadership summit features a panel of powerful women in leadership worldwide. On top of the panel, helpful sessions for women at all stages of career development focus on the timely topics of advocacy and social change through effective leadership

Date: December 4-6, 2024

Location: Virtual

Pricing: Free with additional access available for $299

Why attend:

The Global BoardroomOpens in a new tab is a digital conference hosted by the Financial Times. It brings together leaders from business, finance, and government to navigate global challenges and chart a path forward for industries worldwide.

See also: 10 Best Business Conferences

Why attend a leadership conference?

Leadership conferences can greatly strengthen leadership abilities, develop workplace strategies, and learn and network with peers.

How can you maximize your conference experience?

Preparing before the conference, engaging during the conference, and following up afterward will maximize your experience. To make the most of your conference experience, you can:

• Study the agenda to prioritize sessions relevant to your goals.
• Participate in Q&As and network with fellow attendees.
• Connect with contacts post-event and leverage any available conference materials.

Events are a great way to learn, network, and develop effective workplace strategies. From A-list speakers to interactive workshops, decision-makers can share their insights and explore new perspectives that can advance the future of work.